Coastal Research

Coastal Research

We are situated in a prime location for studying coastal environmental sciences as
we have access to 397 miles of coastline and the Mississippi delta. Our students and
faculty work on the most pressing environmental issues today including coastal land
loss, sea level rise, hurricanes and climate change.

Hurricanes

Louisiana Sea Grant produced the Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards
and distributed copies to coastal residents to help them reduce their risk and property
damage from storms, wind, and flooding.

LSU engineering, architecture, and agricultural economics faculty are testing new
low-cost, hurricane-resistant residential construction materials that would help protect
the homes of low-income families living in hurricane-prone coastal areas.

Mississippi River

LSU engineers and scientists conduct new research on where Mississippi River mud moves
to speed up land growth and slow down erosion. LSU research informs coastal planners
on current and future erosion, sediment deposits, and plant growth to mitigate land
loss.

Storm Forecasting

Computer scientists, coastal scientists and engineers at LSU are working to improve
a critical tool that is widely used to predict the effects of large storms as they
approach the coast. They are making the ADCIRC multi-scale coastal circulation computer
model faster and more dynamic. With nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population living
near the coast, the scientists' work may impact millions of peoples' lives. The STORM
Project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

coastal Roots

Through the LSU Coastal Roots program more than 15,000 youth have planted 127,365
seedlings and grass plugs on 309 coastal restoration trips.